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Mission:
Our Audubon chapter strives to 1) promote interest, enjoyment, and understanding
through education about all aspects of our natural environment, and 2)
actively encourage the protection of wildlife and the preservation and
restoration of native habitat.
May
Meeting
"A Summer at the International Crane Foundation"
Roger Digges
Thursday, May 1, 7pm
Urbana Free Library Auditorium
Roger Digges is senior pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Champaign.
He has been a resident of Illinois most of his life.
Roger became interested in birding when he received a feeder for Christmas
in 1985, and has birded many areas of Illinois and other states. He and
his wife Cathy first became interested in cranes on a trip to the Platte
River in Nebraska in March of 1992.
Roger contacted the International Crane Foundation about serving as a
volunteer naturalist during a sabbatical proposed for May-July of 2007.
He won a Lilly Foundation grant to fund his housing and travel expenses,
and began his naturalist training during March of 2007. During the sabbatical,
he led more than 100 tours, and had opportunities to interact with professionals
working with cranes as well as the cranes themselves.
Annual
June Potluck
The annual June Potluck is tentatively scheduled for June 5 at 6:30pm.
Location: Homer Lake Forest Preserve, Walnut Hill Shelter.
SPRING
BIRD COUNT, Saturday May 10
It is time to round up the troops again for the 2008 Statewide Spring
Bird Count. It is Saturday, May 10. This will be the 37th year for Illinois'
Spring Bird Count. The count is done County by County, and Champaign Audubon
is responsible for two counties. I am the organizer for Champaign County.
Charlene Anchor organizes Piatt County. Last year we had 159 species of
birds for the Champaign County Count. We need lots of help, as there is
a lot of territory to cover. You can help for any amount of time during
that specific day, and I will set up teams and territories. You can also
organize your own team. Please let me know if you are available. If you
have helped other years and are not available, let me know that too to
save phone calls. Beth Chato. 344-6803.
BIRDATHON:
Week of May 11-17
We hope everyone will participate in this year's Birdathon either as a
birder or a donator. This is our major funding source for our Kendeigh
Research Grant program, and also a lot of fun. Last year we raised about
$1,600.
HELP
WANTED
Audubon needs a Social Chair-person to organize light refreshments for
our meetings. No need to slave over a hot stove, just sign up cookie volunteers,
keep track of supplies, and perhaps bring some juice. Call Helen Parker,
367-3130, if you can help.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED
The Champaign County Audubon Society (CCAS) Chapter will begin monitoring
bird use along the former CSX rail line between Urbana and Danville. The
information will be useful to the Champaign County Conservation &
Design Foundation (CCDC) who will be developing the multi-use bike trail
along the rail line and the Champaign County Forest Preserve District
(CCFPD) who will manage the area. Volunteers will be needed to "adopt"
a half-mile or mile section of the rail line to census bird activity (and
other wildlife and plants) at least four times per year. Training will
be provided. If interested, please sign up at the May CCAS meeting or
contact Steve Buck (sbuck@uiuc.edu).
Seeking
CCAS Friends
If you have not already done so, please
consider supporting CCAS as a “CCAS Friend.” As a member of
the National Audubon Society, you are also automatically a member of the
Champaign County Audubon Society; however, NAS has largely phased out
their dues sharing program in which CCAS once received a share of the
dues that you paid for National membership. When you become a Friend of
CCAS, we keep 100% of your CCAS Friend donation. This support will help
us to be financially self sufficient, while sharing the same goals as
National Audubon. Please see the membership
form. You may sign up to be a "Friend" only and you will
still receive our newsletter The Meadowlark Messenger and a 10% discount
from purchases at our Nature Shop at the Anita Purves Nature Center. You
can, of course, sign up both as a “CCAS Friend” and as a member
of NAS. As a National Audubon member, you will receive Audubon magazine
in addition to CCAS’ The Meadowlark Messenger. We are grateful for
your support. Thank you!
Need Birdseed?
Call John Chato, 344-6803. Delivery available. Audubon
can now provide birdseed throughout the year. Help the birds and help
your Audubon program.
Join Birdnotes Listserve!
Join the CCAS email listserve to get the latest
local bird sightings. To join, click here.
Please contact our listserve managers Bryan Guarente or Dan Olson with
any questions.
CCAS President: Helen
Parker,
h-parker@uiuc.edu
Please
address inquiries and comments about this site to Pam Leiter, CCAS webmaster,
here
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Audubon Nature Shop
Unique Nature-Related Gifts
10% Audubon Member's Discount
Location:
Anita Purves Nature Center
1505 N. Broadway Urbana, IL
Hours:
9 AM to 4 PM
Mon - Sat
1 to 3 PM Sun
The Audubon Nature Shop, located
inside the Anita Purves Nature Center, has animal puppets, adult field
guides, children's books, videos, DVD's, tapes, and CD's, feeders, squirrel
baffles, bird bath heaters, and misters.
All proceeds support
local environmental education
Support CCAS by shopping
online! CCAS receives a percentage of sales from these online stores:
Online Nature
Mall
EagleOptics.com
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